The wyvern's massive body lay still, steam rising from its cracked scales. The air was heavy with the smell of smoke, sweat, and whatever weird magic had been used.
Kaguro yanked Asteron free and gave the crystal lodged in the creature's chest a tug. It slid out with a sharp pop, glowing brightly, like it hadn't just nearly exploded inside a fire-breathing monster.
"That's the last one," he said, holding it up.
Enjin, standing nearby, nodded. "Good. Let's get out of here before something else decides we're a buffet."
"I'm just saying," Ezren chimed in from the ground, "I deserve a parade. Or a statue. Or at least a chair. With wheels."
He was sprawled flat, half-conscious, coated in dirt and bruises.
Kagetsu sighed and crouched down next to him. "You're not walking, are you?"
"Walking?" Ezren scoffed. "I'm not even breathing right now."
With an eye roll, he hoisted him over his shoulder like a sack of laundry.
"Gentle!" Ezren groaned. "My ribs and spine aren't where they're supposed to be."
"You're lucky I didn't leave you for the wyverns," Kagetsu muttered.
The group made their way through the forest, the chaos behind them growing quieter with every step. Vines no longer tried to eat them. The trees had stopped whispering weird things. It almost felt peaceful now.
"Well," Kaguro said, glancing around, "that was the worst group project I've ever done."
A Voice in the Sky
Just as they neared the edge of the forest, a magical voice echoed through the trees, booming, clear, and with that familiar tone of dry authority.
"Attention all students. The practical exam is now concluded. Please make your way to the harbor and board the ship. That is all."
Ezren flinched. "Ugh. Principal Gregoras's voice makes my headache worse."
"Everything makes your headache worse," Enjin muttered.
They pushed through the final stretch of the woods and saw it, the harbor at the edge of the island, with the massive ship waiting in the water. It looked almost surreal, like a peaceful reward at the end of a nightmare.
Students were already gathering, limping in from all directions. Some were cheering. Others looked like they'd barely survived, and a few were even being carried, Ezren was clearly not the only one who'd had a rough time.
The massive ship loomed over the docks, sleek and reinforced with enchanted steel. Its sails shimmered with runes, and magical anchors floated lazily above the waterline.
Kaguro stared up at it. "Hard to believe we made it."
Enjin nodded. "Barely."
Kagetsu adjusted Ezren on her back. "You weigh more than you look."
"I'm filled with trauma," Ezren said, groaning. "And maybe a rib piercing my lung."
"Be quiet or I'll drop you in the water."
"Honestly, that sounds refreshing."
Boarding the Ship
The group stepped onto the ramp, joining the stream of students filing aboard. As they walked, crew members took the crystals, tagging each one with magical runes and storing them in containment orbs.
One of them nodded at Enjin. "Good haul."
"Good pain," Enjin replied.
When they finally reached the deck, Kagetsu dropped Ezren, gently, onto a bench.
"Finally," he sighed, sprawling out like he owned the place. "Let me just die here for a while."
"No dying," Kaguro said. "We still have results to hear."
Ezren groaned louder. "Results? I already know my result: 'Survived, somehow.'"
The sun was beginning to dip over the horizon as the last few students boarded. The ship's engines thrummed softly beneath their feet.
From above, a projection of Principal Gregoras appeared on the ship's mast, arms behind his back, cloak billowing for no reason whatsoever.
"You have all completed the practical exam. Whether you succeeded or barely crawled to the finish line, you've now experienced a glimpse of the real world. Not all of you made it through in one piece. That's normal. That's expected. The question is, what did you learn from it?"
Ezren whispered, "I learned I'm not built for this and I deserve a nap for a month."
Gregoras's voice continued:
"We'll begin evaluations once we return to the Academy. For now, rest. You've earned it. Dismissed."
As the ship pulled away from the island, the group sat quietly on the deck, watching the jungle disappear into the distance, the sunlight turning the waves gold.
Kaguro leaned against the railing. "So... anyone else feel like we just barely passed?"
Kagetsu nodded. "I don't even care. We're alive."
Enjin folded his arms. "Barely."
Ezren, eyes half-closed, muttered, "You're welcome."